Vibratory finishing device with loading and discharge means



June 3, 1969 e. L. RUDNICK ETAL 3,447,269

VIBRATORY FINISHING DEVICE WITH LOADING AND DISCHARGE MEANS Filed July 25, 1966 Sheefl of 5 .HHHF" .nllllh.

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VIBRATORY FINISHING DEVICE WITH LOADING AND DISCHARGE MEANS Sheet Filed July 25, 1966 mill i mu!" FIG.8.

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IBRATORY FINISHING DEVICE WITH LOADING AND DISCHARGE MEANS Filed July 25, 1966 Sheet .5

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United States Patent 3,447,269 VIBRATORY FINISHING DEVICE WITH LOADING AND DISCHARGE MEANS Gerald L. Rudnick, Palos Hills, and Leonard M. Haluch,

Chicago, Ill., assignors to Productive Equipment Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 25, 1966, Ser. No. 567,554 Int. Cl. B24b 31/00; B65b 69/00, 21/02 U.S. Cl. 51163 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vibratory finishing device having containers for receiving grinding media and parts to be finished which dumps onto a screen for separating the parts and media. A hopper is laterally movable under the screen and vertically movable to transfer the media back to the container.

This invention relates to improvements in vibrating equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in loading machines which can be used with vibratory finishing devices.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved loading machine for use with a vibratory finishing device.

In the operation of a vibratory finishing device, it is customary to dispose objects, that are to be finished, within a vibratable container in contact with media that can respond to the vibrating of that container to finish those objects. After those objects have been finished, it is customary to discharge the admixed objects and media from the vibratable container, to separate the media from those objects, to return the separated media to the vibratable container, and then to add further objects to be finished. A vibratable screen is customarily used to separate the finished objects from the media, and that vibratable screen is usually located below the level of the vibratable container; and a hopper is customarily used to receive the separated media, and that hopper is usually located below the level of the vibratable screen. This means that it is usually necessary to raise the separated media upwardly above the level of the vibratable container to facilitate gravity-induced transfer of that media into that container. It would be desirable to provide a loading machine with a hopper that could be moved into position beneath a vibratable screen to receive separated media and that could thereafter be raised upwardly above the level of the vibratable container of a vibratory finishing device to permit gravity-induced flow of that media from that hopper into that container. The present invention provides such a loading machine and it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a loading machine with a hopper that can be moved into position beneath a vibratable screen to receive separated media and that can thereafter be raised upwardly above the level of the vibratable container of a vibratory finishing device to permit gravity-induced flow of that media from that hopper into that container.

The vibratable screen which separates the media from the finished objects is usually laterally displaced from the vibratable container of the vibratory finishing device; and hence it would be desirable to provide a loading machine which had a hopper that could be moved into register with the vibrating screen to receive the separated media and that could thereafter be moved into register with the vibratable container of the vibratory finishing device to permit gravity-induced flow of that media into that container. The present invention provides such a loading machine; and it does so by providing a verticallymovable cage which supports a hopper and which can laterally displace that hopper from that cage to dispose that hopper in register with the vibratable screen. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a loading machine with a vertically-movable cage that supports a laterally displaceable hopper.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description 3 preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described but it is to be understood that the drawing and accompanying description are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one preferred embodiment of loading machine that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, and it shows that loading machine disposed intermediate two vibratory finishing devices and disposed rearwardly of a separating screen,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the loading machine of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the lower portion of the loading machine shown in FIG. 1, and it is taken along the broken plane indicated by the broken line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partially broken-away, front elevational view of the upper portion of the loading machine of FIG. 1, and it shows the hopper of that loading machine in one of its emptying positions.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the portion of the loading machine shown in FIG. 4, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 55 on FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, through the portion of the loading machine shown in FIG. 5, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, on the scale of FIG. 6, through the portion of the loading machine shown in FIG. 6, and it is taken along the broken plane indicated by the broken line 7--7 in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a sectional view through the loading machine of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 88 in FIG. 4,

FIG. 9 is another sectional view, on the scale of FIG. 6, through the loading machine of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 9-9 in FIG. 6,

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a portion of the loading machine shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 11 is a sectional view through the portion of the loading machine shown in FIG. 10, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 1l11 in FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 is another sectional view through the portion of the loading machine shown in FIG. 10, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 1212 in FIG. 10,

FIG. 13 is still another sectional view through the portion of the loading machine in FIG. 10, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 13-13 in FIG. 10, and

FIG. 14 is another sectional view through the loading machine of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 1414 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numerals 30, 32, 34 and 36 denote vertically-directed frame members of one preferred embodiment of loading machine that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. Those vertically-directed members are shown as angles, but those members could have different cross-sectional configurations. The numeral 38 denotes horizontally-directed frame members at the top of the loading machine which are connected to the upper ends of the vertically-directed frame members 30, 32, 34 and 36 and which space those upper ends apart. The numerals 41 and 43 denote beams which have the forward ends thereof disposed atop, and fixedly secured to, the horizontally-directed frame member 38 that extends between the vertically-directed frame members 30 and 36; and those beams have the rearward ends thereof disposed atop, and fixedly secured to, the horizontally-directed frame member 38 that extends between the vertically-directed frame members 32 and 34.

Spacers 44 secure a horizontally-directed frame member 48 to the vertically-directed frame members 30 and 36 so the rear edge of that frame member is spaced forwardly of the front faces of those frame members, as shown by FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. Spacers 46 Secure a horizontally-directed frame member 50 to the verticallydirected frame members 32 and 34 so the front edge of that frame member is spaced rearwardly of the rear faces of those frame members, as shown by FIG. 5. Spacers '1 secure a further horizontally-directed member 52 to the vertically-directed frame members 30 and 36 while spacing the rear edge of that frame member forwardly of the front faces of those frame members, as shown by FIGS. 2, 3 and 14. Spacers 53 secure a horizontally-directed frame member 54 to the vertically-directed frame members 32 and 34 while spacing the front edge of that frame member rearwardly of the rear faces of those frame members, as shown by FIGS. 2, 3 and 14. A horizontallydirected frame member 56 extends between the verticallydirected frame members 30 and 32 below the level of the frame members 48 and 50, as shown by FIGS. 46; and a horizontally-directed frame member 58 extends between the vertically-directed frame members 36 and 34 at the level of the horizontally-directed frame member 56, as shown by FIG. 4. A horizontally-directed frame member 60 extends between the vertically-directed frame members 30 and 32 at the level of the frame members 52 and 54, as shown by FIG. 3; and a horizontally-directed frame member 62 extends between the vertically-directed frame members 34 and 36 at the level of the frame members 52 and 54, as shown by FIG. 14. The horizontallydirected frame members 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62 coact with the spacers 44, 46, 51 and 53 to space the middle and lower portions of the vertically-directed frame members 30, 32, 34 and 36 apart.

A horizontally-directed frame member 64 extends between and fixedly connects the bottoms of the verticallydirected frame members 30 and 36; and a horizontallydirected frame member 66 extends between and connects the bottoms of the vertically-directed frame members 32 and 34. An elongated rail 72 is secured atop the frame members 64 and 66; and the front end of that rail is disposed forwardly of the frame member 64. Similarly, an elongated rail 74 is secured atop the frame members 64 and 66; and the front end of that rail is disposed forwardly of the frame member 64. A tie 76 underlies the front ends of the rails 72 and 74, and also underlies the front end of a rail 78. The rear end of the rail 78 is secured atop the frame member 64, The rails 72, 74 and 78 are shown as angles, but they could have different cross-sectional configurations. Those rails are secured to the horizontally-directed frame members 64 and 66 and to the tie 76 so they resemble prisms of triangular cross section.

The rails 72 and 74 coact with the various spacers, beams, vertically-directed frame members, and horizontally-directed frame members to constitute a rugged and sturdy frame for the loading machine provided by the present invention. That frame defines a vertically-directed space in which the movable cage 102 of that loading machine can move up and down. If desired, of course, cross braces, gusset P and he like could be used to additionally stiffen that frame.

The numeral 80 denotes stops which are secured to the front faces of the vertically-directed frame members 30 and 36, as shown by FIG. 1; and those stops are disposed above the level of the horizontally-directed frame member 48 but are disposed below the levels of the frame members 38. Similar stops 80 are secured to the rear faces of the vertically-directed frame members 32 and 34, as shown by FIG. 5. The numeral 82 denotes stops which are secured to the front faces of the vertically-directed frame members 30 and 36, as shown by FIG. 1; and those stops are located short distances above the bottoms of those vertically-directed frame members. Similar stops 82 are secured to the rear faces of the vertically-directed frame members 32 and 34, as shown by FIG. 3.

The numeral 84 denotes a sleeve which is secured to the upper surface of the horizontally-directed frame member 48, as shown by FIGS. 5 and 7. A notched, arcuate member 86 is secured to the horizontally-directed frame member 48, and that arcuate member bows downwardly below that frame member. The notched arcuate member is shown as being made in two parts, but it could easily be made as one part. The numeral 88 generally denotes a Y-shaped actuator; and that actuator has a hub 89, a handle 90 and arms 92 and 94. The hub 89 is disposed within and rotates relative vto the sleeve 84; and the arms 92 and 94 incline rearwardly from the rear face of that hub, as shown by FIG. 7. Also, as shown by FIG. 7, the outer ends of the arms 92 and 94 are in a plane that is parallel to, but spaced rearwardly of, the horizontally-directed frame member 48. The handle 90 is secured to the front face of the hub 89; and that handle is dimensioned so it can fit into any of the three notches 87 in the notched, arcuate member 86. The actuator 88 can be set in the position shown by solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 4-7, it can be set in the posi tion indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1, and it can be set in an intermediate position wherein the handle 90 is vertical and the two arms incline upwardly from the hub 89. To rotate the actuator 88, it is only necessary to bend the handle 90 forwardly far enough to clear the notch 87 which it is lodged and then rotate that handle until it is in register with the desired notch.

The numeral 98 denotes a chute which is secured atop the horizontally directed frame member 56, as shown by FIGS. 4-7. The upper edge of that tchute is bent downwardly to stiffen that upper edge, as shown by FIGS. 1, 4 and 6. That chute inclines downwardly and outwardly from a point adjacent the horizontally directed frame member 48, as shown by FIGS. 1 and 4-7. The numeral denotes a chute which is similar to the chute 98; but that chute is secured atop the horizontally-directed frame member 58, as shown by FIGS. 4 and 8. The lower end of the chute 98 overlies the vibratable container 99 of a conventional vibratory finishing device, and the lower end of the chute 100 overlies the vibratable container 101 of a conventional vibratory finishing device. As shown particularly by FIGS. 1 and 2, the vibratory finishing devices are disposed at opposite sides of the loading machine.

The cage 102 of the loading machine provided by the present invention has vertically-directed guide members 104, 106, 108 and 110; and those vertically-directed members are disposed adjacent the vertically-directed frame members 30, 32, 34 and 36, respectively. Horizontally-directed spacer members 112 and 114 extend between and interconnect the vertically-directed guide members 104 and 106; and horizontally-directed spacer members 116 and 118 extend between and interconnect the vertically-directed guide members 108 and 110. A horizontally-directed spacer member 120 extends between and interconnects the horizontally-directed spacer members 112 and 116; and a further horizontally-directed spacer member 122 also extends between and interconnects those horizontally-directed spacer members. A horizontally-directed stiffening member 124 extends between and interconnects the horizontally-directed spacer members 112,

116, 120 and 122. The horizontally-directed members 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122 and 124 coact with the vertically-directed members 104, 106 and 108 to make the cage 102 sturdy and rugged.

Grooved rollers 126 are rotatably secured to the vertically-directed members 104,106, 108 and 110; and the grooves in those rollers accommodate the confronting edges of the vertically-directed frame members 30, 32, 34 and 36. Those rollers will coact with those vertically-di rected frame members to permit the cage 102 to be moved vertically relative to the frame of the loading machine but to prevent accidental separation of that cage from that frame. A hoist 128, of standard and usual design, is secured to and supported by the beams 41 and 43; and a chain 130 depends downwardly from that hoist. That chain is secured to the stiffening member 124 of the cage 102; and actuation of the hoist 128 can effect raising or lowering of the cage 102 relative to the frame of the loading machine. Preferably, the hoist 128 is electrically operated; but that hoist could, if desired, be pneumatically, hydraulically or manually operated.

The numeral 132 generally denotes a hopper which is intended to receive products that are to be raised by the loading machine. That hopper has a generally triangular front wall 142 and a generally triangular wall 144; and shallow side walls 133 and 135 extend between and connect the upper portions of those front and rear walls. The upper edges of the front and rear walls 142 and 144 are bent in reentrant form, as shown by MG. 14, to stiffen those walls. The hopper 132 has downwardly-inclined walls 137 and 139 that extend between and connect the lower portions of the front and rear walls 142 and 144; and those downwardly-inclined walls are contiguous with the side walls 133 and 135. The lower edges of the downwardly-inclined walls 137 and 139 are bent downwardly to stiffen those walls; and those lower edges are spaced apart to define an open bottom for the hopper 132. Pivot brackets 154 are secured to the front and rear walls 142 and 144, and those pivot brackets hold a pivot 156 below, and in register with, the open bottom of the hopper 132. As indicated particularly by FIG. 9, the lower lower ends of the pivot brackets 154 are spaced outwardly from the front and rear walls 142 and 144. The hopper 132 has vertically-directed legs 134, 136, 138 and 140; and those legs are spaced inwardly, respectively, of the vertically-directed guide members 104, 106, 108 and 110 of the cage 102. Horizontally-directed angles 146 and 148 are secured to the side walls 133 and 135, respectively; and those angles project forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, beyond the front and rear walls 142 and 144 to support the legs 134, 136, 138, and 140. Gusset plates 150 are secured to the side walls 133 and 135 and to the angles 146 and 148; and those gusset plates help stiffen and strengthen the hopper 132. Groved wheels 172 are rotatably secured to the lower ends of the legs 134, 136, 138 and 140; and the grooves in those wheels can engage the rails 72 and 74.

Doors 158 and 160 have hinge-like tubular portions that accommodate the pivot 156; and those hinge-like portions coact with that pivot to permit those doors to rotate relative to the downwardly-inclined walls 137 and 139. The doors 158 and 160 are longer than the shallow side walls 133 and 135; and those doors have upwardlybent flanges at the opposite ends thereof. Those flanges stiffen those doors, and they normally overlie the lower edges of the front and rear walls 142 and 144 of the hopper 132. The door 160 is longer than the door 158, so the upwardly-bent flanges on the door 160 can extend outwardly of the upwardly-bent flanges on the door 158, as shown by FIGS. 1 and 7. Angles are secured to the bottom faces of the doors 158 and 160, as shown by FIG. 6, to stiffen and strengthen those doors. Pins 162 are secured to the outer faces of the front and rear walls 142 and 144 of the hopper 132, and those pins hold the upper ends of helical extension springs 164 and 166. The lower ends of the helical extension springs 164 are held by pins 161 which are secured to the bottom of the door 158; and the lower ends of the springs 166 are held by pins 163 which are secured to the bottom of the door 160.

A pin 168 is secured to the bottom of the door 158 of the hopper 132; and that pin extends through forwardly beyond the forward flange of that door to extend through the plane defined by the outer ends of the arms 92 and 94 of the Y-shaped actuator 88. A pin 170 is secured to the bottom of the door 160; and that pin extends forwardly beyond the forward flange of that door to extend through the plane defined by the outer ends of the arms 92 and 94 of the actuator 88. The pin 170 will be disposed outwardly of the arm 94 of the actuator 88 but the pin 168 will be in register with the arm 92 of that actuator whenever that actuator is in the position shown by solid lines on FIGS. 1, 4 and 6. Conversely, the pin 168 will be disposed outwardly of the arm 92 of the actuator 88 but the pin 170 will be in register with the arm 92 of that actuator whenever that actuator is in the position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1. Both of those pins will be disposed outwardly of the arms 92 and 94 whenever the actuator 88 has the handle thereof held vertical.

The angles 146 and 148 of the hopper 132 normally overlie and rest upon the horizontally-directed spacer members 114 and 118 of the cage 102. The confronting edges of the horizontally-directed spacer members 114 and 118 are so close to the outer faces of the legs 134, 136, 138 and 140 of the hopper 132 that those confronting edges will prevent appreciable shifting of the hopper 132 relative to the cage 102. The verticallydirected guide members 104, 106, 108 and and the grooved rollers 126 of the cage 102 prevent appreciable shifting of that cage relative to the frame of the loading machine; and hence the grooved wheels 172 at the bottoms of the legs 134, 136, 138 and of the hopper 132 will normally be held in vertical registry with the rails 72 and 74.

The numeral 176 denotes a cylinder which has the rear end thereof secured to, and supported by, the lower portion of the vertically-directed frame member 34. The piston 178 of that cylinder projects outwardly from the front end of that cylinder; and a bracket 180 is secured to the front end of that piston. A grooved wheel 182 is rotatably secured to that bracket; and that grooved wheel rolls along the rail 78 to guide the bracket 180 and the front end of the piston 17 8.

The bracket 180 has a notch 184 in the upper edge therof; and that notch can accommodate one arm of an L-shaped latch 188 which is rotatably secured to the leg 140 of the hopper 132 by a pivot 186. The other arm of that latch has a U-shaped guide 190 adjacent the free end thereof. Whenever the hopper 132 is in its lowered position and the latch 188 is in the latching position shown by FIGS. 10 and 12, that hopper will be latched to the piston 178 of the cylinder 176 by the latch 188 and the bracket 180. However, that latch can be rotated until the free end of the one arm thereof is displaced from the notch 184 in the bracket 180; and, thereupon, the hopper 132 can be moved independently of the piston 178 of the cylinder 176, and thus can be moved independently of the cage 102. The U-shaped guide 190 adjacent the free end of the other arm of the latch 188 slidably supports a pin 192 which is urged toward an opening 193 in the leg 140 by a helical compression spring 194. The inner end of that pin will normally be lodged within the opening 193 to hold the latch 188 in latching position. However, whenever the latch 188 is to be rotated to unlatching position, the pin 192 will be pulled forwardly and the free end of the one arm of the latch 188 will be rotated upwardly out of the notch 184 in the bracket 180. A guide 191 is provided on the leg 140; and that guide will fit down over the upper edge of the bracket 180, and thus help guide the hopper 132 into assembled relation with that bracket and also help guide the latch 188 into the notch 184 in that bracket, as the cage 102 and hopper 132 are lowered to their lowered positions.

The numeral 196 generally denotes a separating screen of conventional form which is mounted in front of the loading machine provided by the present invention. That separating screen can undelie the discharge spout of the vibratable container 99, as shown by FIGS. 1 and 2, or it can be turned end-for-end to underlie the discharge spout of the vibratable container 101. As shown by FIG. 1, the legs of the separating screen 196 straddle the rails 72, 74 and 78; and hence the hopper 132 can be moved forwardly along those rails into position beneath that separating screen to receive polishing media which that screen separates from finished particles.

In the operation of the loading machine provided by the present invention, the hoist 128 will be actuated to lower the chain 130, and hence the cage 102 and the hopper 132, to the lowered position shown by FIG. l. Thereupon, the cylinder 176 will be actuated to cause the piston 178 thereof to move forwardly; and that piston will act through the bracket 180 and the latch 188 t move the hopper 132 forwardly along the rails 72 and 74. The grooved roller 182 will roll forwardly along, and be supported by, the rail 78. When the piston 178 has reached the forward limit of its travel, the hopper 132 will be disposed in position beneath the separating screen 196. The operator will then pull forwardly on the pin 192, and rotate the latch 188 until the free end of the one arm thereof is out of the notch 184. Thereupon, the operator can pull the hopper 132 forwardly beyond the forward ends of the rails 72 and 74 until the top of that hopper is exposed and is not overlain by the separating screen 196. At this time, the springs 164 and 166 will be holding the doors 158 and 160 of the hopper 132 in the closed positions shown by FIG. 1; and, whenever those doors are in those closed positions, those doors will effectively close the open bottom of that hopper. The upwardly-bent flanges at the opposite ends of those doors will keep any material, introduced into that hopper, from leaking out past those opposite ends. Consequently, a desired quantity of polishing or finishing media, or a desired quantity of polishing or finishing media plus a number of articles to be finished, can be introduced into, and held within, the hopper 132. The actuator 88 will then, for purposes of illustration, be set in the position shown by solid lines in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6. The handle 90 of that actuator will be bent forwardly to enable it to clear the notches 87 in the notched, arcuate member 86 until that actuator is in the desired position; and then the restorative faces within that handle will be permitted to move that handle into the adjacent notch 87.

Thereafter, the hopper 132 will be pushed rearwardly until the grooved rollers 172 thereof engage and roll up onto the rails 72 and 74. As the front leg 140 of that hopper approaches the bracket 180, the guide 191 on that leg will help guide that hopper into assembled relation with that bracket, and thus with the piston 178 and the cylinder 176. When the latch 188 is in register with the notch 184 in the bracket 180, the pin 192 can be pulled forwardly and the free end of the one arm of that latch can be moved into the notch 184. At this time, actuation of the cylinder 176 will cause retraction of the piston 178, and will move the hopper 132 back into vertical registry with the cage 102 of the loading machine. As that hopper moves back into vertical registry with that cage, the angles 146 and 148 will move into position atop the horizontally-directed spacer members 114 and 118 of that cage. Actuation of the hoist 128 will then raise the cage 102; and the horizontally-directed spacer members 114 and 118 of that Cage will raise the hopper 132. The arm 92 of the actuator 88 will be in the path of the pin 168 which is secured to the bottom of the door 158; and, as the hopper 132 is moved upwardly, that pin will engage that arm and be held against further upward movement. The hopper 132 will continue to move upwardly; and,

as that hopper continues to so move, the pivot 156 will move upwardly relative to the pin 168 which will be held against further upward movement by the arm 92 of the actuator 88. As a result, the door 158 of the hopper 132 will gradually rotate in the counter clockwise direction from the position shown by FIG. 1 to the position shown by FIG. 4.

The operator will de-energize the hoist 128 as the upper ends of the vertically-directed guide members 104, 106, 108 and 110 of the cage 102 approach the stops but, if that operator fails to de-energize that hoist, those stops will intercept those vertically-directed guide members and thereby prevent excessive raising of the cage 102 and the hopper 132. As the upper ends of the vertically directed guide members 104, 106, 108 and approach the stops 80, the door 158 will move into the position shown by FIG. 4; and, in that position, that door will act as a chute which is contiguous with the chute 98. The uuwardly-bent flanges at the opposite ends of the door 158 will guide the media or the admixture of media and articles to be finished toward the chute 98; and hence that door and that chute will direct that media or that admixture of media and articles toward the vibratable container 99 which is disposed below that chute. The helical extension springs 164- will yield to permit the door 158 to rotate from the upwardly-inclined position shown by FIG. 1 to the downwardly-inclined position shown by FIG. 4. The rotation of that door from its upwardlyinclined position to its downwardly-inclined position will be sufiiciently gradual to enable the media or the admixed media and articles to move gradually, rather than abruptly, toward the vibratable container 99. The final inclination of the door 158 will be sufficiently steep to enable all of the media and articles to be finished held by the hopper 132 to slide along that door and along the chute 98 and fall into the vibratable container 99. Thereupon, the vibratory finishing device, of which the vibratable container 99 is a part, can be actuated to provide small amplitude, relative movement between that media and those articles.

While the media and articles are being moved relative to each other in the vibratable container 99, the hoist 128 can be actuated to again lower the chain, and thus again lower the cage 102 and the hopper 132. As that hopper moves downwardly, the helical extension springs 164 will pull the free end of the door 158 upwardly; and, by the time the pin 168 has moved downwardly below the level of the arm 92 of the actuator 88, the door 158 will have returned to the upwardly-inclined position shown by FIG. 1. The operator should de-energize the hoist 128 as the lower ends of the vertically-directed guide members 104, 106, 108 and 110 of the cage 102 approach the stops 82. However, if that operator fails to de-energize that hoist, the stops 82 will prevent further downward movement of that cage.

The operator will then actuate the cylinder 176 to cause the piston 178 to move forwardly and thus move the hopper 132 into position below the separating screen 196. If that separating screen is disposed so it underlies the discharge spout of the vibratable container 101, the closure 103 for that vibratable container can be removed so the contents of that vibratable container can discharge onto that separating screen. The piston 178 and the cylinder 176 are dimensioned so that piston will dispose the hopper 132 in position below the separating screen 196 whenever that piston is moved to its fully-extended position. Consequently, actuation of the separating screen 196 will cause the media to pass downwardly through that screen and fall into the hopper 132. The finished articles will pass to a tote box or other suitable container which will be set adjacent the discharge end of that separating screen.

Once the separating screen 196 has separated the media from the finished articles, the closure 103 of the vibratable container 101 can be replaced. Also, the latch 188 can be moved to its unlatching position, and the hopper 132 can then be moved far enough forwardly of the separating screen 196 to permit further articles to be introduced into that hopper. Thereafter, that hopper will be pushed rearwardly until the grooved rollers 172 thereof engage and roll up onto the rails 72 and 74. Rotation of the latch 188 into latching position, and retracting actuation of the cylinder 176 will cause the hopper 132 to again move into vertical registry with the cage 102. Shifting of the actuator 88 from the solid-line position of FIG. 1 to the dottedline position of FIG. 1, plus upward actuation of the hoist 128, will cause the pin 170 on the bottom of door 160 of the hopper 132 to engage the arm 94 of that actuator. As a result, that door will rotate from its upwardly-inclined position to its downwardly-inclined position as the cage 102 and the hopper 132 are raised upwardly. As that door rotates in the clockwise direction from its upwardlyinclined position to its downwardly-inclined position, the media and the further articles held by the hopper 132 will slide along that door and along the chute 100 and fall into the vibratable container 101. Because the clockwise rotation of the door 160 is gradual, the discharging movement of the media and the articles will be gradual rather than abrupt. Once the media and further articles have been introduced into the vibratable container 101, the vibratory finishing device of which that vibratable container is a part can be actuated to provide small amplitude, relative movement between that media and those further articles.

The hoist 128 can then be actuated to lower the chain 130 and hence the cage 102 and the hopper 132. If the articles within the vibratable container 99 are finished, the separating screen 196 can be turned end-for-end to dispose it adjacent the discharge spout of that vibratable container, and the hopper 132 can then be moved forwardly to position it under that separating screen. That separating screen will then separate the finished articles from the media, and will cause that media to pass into the hopper 132.

The hopper 132 can selectively discharge material from either side thereof, and thus permits the loading machine to serve two vibratory finishing devices. Moreover, that hopper enables the loading machine provided by the present invention to load the vibratable container of one of the vibratory finishing devices while the other vibratory finishing devices is finishing articles held within the vibratable container thereof. This is desirable because it materially reduces the overall cycling time of the two vibratory finishing devices. It should also be noted that the loading machine provided by the present invention relieves the operator of all need of lifting the media or of lifting the articles to be finished.

If desired, the loading machine provided by the present invention can be equipped with several hoppers 132. Where that is done, each hopper can hold a different grade or difierent kind of media; and each hopper can serve as a storage bin for that particular grade or kind of media while another hopper is used to load its particular grade or type of media. Such an arrangement is desirable be cause it avoids double-handling and possible loss or contamination of media.

The fact that the doors 158 and 160 can extend to the chutes 98 and 100, plus the fact that the lower ends of those chutes overlie the vibratable containers '99 and 101, frees the loading machine from all need of a conveyor to conduct the media and articles from the hopper 132 to those vibratable containers. The fact that the discharge spouts of those vibratable containers can overlie the separating screen, plus the fact that the hopper 132 can be moved directly into position below that separating screen, frees the loading machine from all need of a conveyor to conduct the media and articles from those vibratable containers to that separating screen and from that separating screen to the hopper 132.

If desired, the loading machine could be used to load media into one or the other of the vibratable containers 99 and 101, and then load articles to be finished into that vibratable container. Such a procedure would be helpful where the articles are fragile or are easily nicked or dented; because the media already within the vibratable container would cushion those articles as they were loaded into that vibratable container.

In some installations, each vibratory finishing device has a separating screen fixedly secured adjacent the discharge spout thereof. Where that is done, the discharge ends of those separting screens confront each other and overlie portions of the hopper 132, whenever that hopper is adjacent the forward ends of the rails 72 and 74. However those confronting ends of those separating screens are preferably spaced far enough apart from each other to enable articles, to be finished, to pass between those confronting ends and enter the hopper 132 whenever the piston 178 is in its extended position.

The loading machine provided by the present invention materially shortens the time required to unload and reload the vibratable container of a vibratory finishing device. Specifically, that loading machine makes it possible to unload and reload the vibratable container of a vibratory finishing device in considerably less than one minuteand it does so while freeing the operator from all need of lifting the media.

Whereas the drawing and accompanying description have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.

What we claim is:

1. The combination of a vibratable container for a vibratory finishing device which receives media and objects to be finished and which discharges media and objects that have been finished, a separating screen adjacent but below the level of said vibratable container that receives and separates said media and objects that have been finished as said media and objects that have been finished are discharged from said vibratable container, and a loading machine adjacent said vibratable container and adjacent said separating screen, said loading machine having a vertically-movable cage and also having a hopper that is selectively movable vertically by said cage from a p0sition below the level of said separating screen to a position above the level of said vibratable container, said hopper discharging media and objects to be finished into said vibratable container, hopper-moving means selectively moving said hopper laterally relative to and thus inwardly and outwardly of said cage, cage-moving means selectively raising and lowering said cage and thereby raising and lowering said hopper, said cage-moving means selectively raising said cage and said hopper upwardly above the level of said vibratable container and said hopper discharging the contents thereof to permit said contents to flow into said vibratable container, said hopper being movable laterally relative to and inwardly and outwardly of said cage whenever said cage is in its lowered position and being movable by said hopper-moving means outwardly of said cage and into position beneath said separating screen to receive separated media from said separating screen, said vibratable container discharging the contents thereof onto said separating screen and said separating screen separating the finished objects from the media and discharging the separated media into said hopper, said hopper-moving means moving said hopper laterally from said position beneath said separating screen and inwardly into position within said cage, said cage-moving means thereafter raising said cage and said hopper upwardly above the level of said vibratable container, whereby said hopper of said loading machine can receive separated media from said separating screen and can be raised upwardly by said cage of said loading machine to transfer said separated media to said vibratable container of said vibratory finishing device, said hoppermoving means normally preventing separation of said hopper from said cage although permitting movement of said hopper laterally relative to and thus inwardly and outwardly of said cage, said vibratable container and said separating screen and said loading machine remaining adjacent each other during any given screening and loading cycle of said vibratory finishing device.

2. The combination of a vibratable container for a vibratory finishing device which receives media and objects to be finished and which discharges media and objects that have been finished, a second vibratable container for a second vibratory finishing device which receives media and objects to be finished and which discharges media and objects that have been finished, and a loading machine adjacent the first said vibratable container and ad- I jacent said second vibratable container, said loading machine having a vertically-movable cage and also having a hopper that is selectively movable vertically by said cage from a position below the level of said vibratable containers to a position above the level of said vibratable containers, said hopper selectively discharging media and objects to be finished into the first said or said second vibratable container, hopper-moving means selectively moving said hopper laterally relative to and thus inwardly and outwardly of said cage, cage-moving means selectively raising said cage and said hopper upwardly above the level of the first said and said second vibratable containers, said hopper having a door that is openable to permit the contents of said hopper to.move toward the first said vibratable container, said hopper having a second door that is openable to permit the contents of said hopper to move toward said second vibratable container, door-opening means that responds to the setting thereof in one position to automatically open the first said door of said hopper as said cage-moving means raises said cage and said hopper and that responds to the setting thereof in a second position to automatically open said second door of said hopper as said cage-moving means raises said cage and said hopper, said hopper being movable laterally relative to and outwardly of said cage whenever said cage is in its lowered position to permit filling of said hopper, whereby said hopper of said loading machine can be filled, can be moved into register with and in position within said cage, and can be raised upwardly by said cage of'said loading machine to transfer the contents thereof to the first said or said second vibratable containerg'interacting surfaces on said cage and said hopper which hold said hopper against tilting or movement relative to said cage as said cage-moving means raises or lowers said cage and said hopper, said hopper-moving means normally preventing separation of said hopper from said cage although permitting movement of said hopper laterally relative to and thus inwardly and outwardly of said cage, said loading machine and said vibratable containers remaining adjacent each other throughout the operation of said vibratory finishing device.

3. The combination of a vibratable container for a vibratory finishing device, a second vibratable container for a second vibratory finishing device, and a loading machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said door-opening means includes an actuator which can be set in one or another of two positions, said actuator coacting with said hopper whenever said actuator is in said one position to cause said hopper to automatically transfer the contents thereof to the first said vibratable container, said actuator coacting with said hopper whenever said actuator is in said other position to cause said hopper to automatically transfer the contents thereof to said second vibratable container.

4. The combination of a vibratable container for a vibratory finishing device, a second vibratable container for a second vibratory finishing device, and a loading machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein a separating screen is selectively disposable adjacent the discharge outlet of the first said or said second vibratable container, said separating screen being dimensioned to be in register with said loading machine, and being in position to accommodate said hopper, whether said separating screen is disposed adjacent the discharge outlet of the first said vibratable container or is disposed adjacent the discharge outlet of said second vibratable container and wherein said hopper is selectively disposable beneath said separating screen by said hopper-moving means.

5. The combination of a vibratable container for a vibratory finishing device, a second vibratable container for a second vibratory finishing device, and a loading machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein a separating screen is selectively disposable adjacent the discharge outlet of the first said or said second vibratable container, said separating screen being dimensioned to be in register with said loading machine, and being in position to accommodate said hopper, whether said separating screen is disposed adjacent the discharge outlet of the first said vibratable container or is disposed adjacent the discharge outlet of said second vibratable container and wherein said hopper is selectively disposable beneath said separating screen by said hopper-moving means to receive separated media, and wherein said hopper-moving means selectively permits separation of said hopper from said cage to have at least a portion thereof moved forwardly of said separating screen to receive articles to be finished.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,712 10/1893 Lybarger 2l43l5 2,470,340 5/ 1949 Cook 51-164 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,349,878 12/ 1961 France.

HAROLD D. WHITEHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

